ID :
31757
Sat, 11/22/2008 - 23:08
Auther :
Shortlink :
https://oananews.org//node/31757
The shortlink copeid
Taxi firms must cut fares by November 25
Hanoi (VNA) - The deadline for taxi companies in Hanoi to cut fares is Nov. 25.
"Companies which do not cut fares will have an inspection team sent to
investigate their business operations," said Nguyen Hoang Linh, deputy
director of Hanoi 's Transportation Department in a meeting between the
department and taxi companies on Nov. 19.
The department stated that until now about 65 percent of taxi companies in
the city had cut fares. Others have registered with authorities to cut
fares, but have not done so yet.
Companies cite a variety of obstacles to reducing their rates, but the
most prominent reason is the amount of time it takes to get the meter
checked.
"We cannot cut the fare immediately even when we want to do it, because we
have to wait for our turn to check the taximeter and change the number on
the meter," said Nguyen Hoang Nam , deputy director of Van Xuan Taxi.
Every time taxi companies change the price, they must wait in line for
long periods due to a shortage of checking stations. Currently, there is
only one main quality assurance and testing centre. As well as two mobile
centres in the city to test taximeter for 9,000 taxis in Hanoi .
It would take about three years to check the meters for all 9,000 taxis in
the city, said Nguyen Hong Minh, from Nguyen Minh Taxi.
A representative from the Directorate for Standards and Quality Nguyen
Hung Diep, admitted to the testing delays, saying there were only 14 centres
in the whole country.
In the near future, the directorate would propose to the transportation
department to set up new centres, as well as to encourage enterprises to
join in the testing activities, said Diep.
To solve the problem, Linh recommended that the directorate give taxi
companies the right to change the taximeter by themselves and have the city's
inspectors check it later and punish any violators.
Taxi companies have been under a lot of pressure to cut fares, with the
petrol price having been reduced from 19,000 VND to 13,000 VND (1.15 USD to
0.7 USD) per litre.-Enditem
"Companies which do not cut fares will have an inspection team sent to
investigate their business operations," said Nguyen Hoang Linh, deputy
director of Hanoi 's Transportation Department in a meeting between the
department and taxi companies on Nov. 19.
The department stated that until now about 65 percent of taxi companies in
the city had cut fares. Others have registered with authorities to cut
fares, but have not done so yet.
Companies cite a variety of obstacles to reducing their rates, but the
most prominent reason is the amount of time it takes to get the meter
checked.
"We cannot cut the fare immediately even when we want to do it, because we
have to wait for our turn to check the taximeter and change the number on
the meter," said Nguyen Hoang Nam , deputy director of Van Xuan Taxi.
Every time taxi companies change the price, they must wait in line for
long periods due to a shortage of checking stations. Currently, there is
only one main quality assurance and testing centre. As well as two mobile
centres in the city to test taximeter for 9,000 taxis in Hanoi .
It would take about three years to check the meters for all 9,000 taxis in
the city, said Nguyen Hong Minh, from Nguyen Minh Taxi.
A representative from the Directorate for Standards and Quality Nguyen
Hung Diep, admitted to the testing delays, saying there were only 14 centres
in the whole country.
In the near future, the directorate would propose to the transportation
department to set up new centres, as well as to encourage enterprises to
join in the testing activities, said Diep.
To solve the problem, Linh recommended that the directorate give taxi
companies the right to change the taximeter by themselves and have the city's
inspectors check it later and punish any violators.
Taxi companies have been under a lot of pressure to cut fares, with the
petrol price having been reduced from 19,000 VND to 13,000 VND (1.15 USD to
0.7 USD) per litre.-Enditem
